Wringing Water from Stone
by AdelineWrecker
Summary: Who was Esca before he met Marcus? The story of Esca starting from the Brigantes conflict with Rome, through his capture and enslavement, till he meets the Roman who would save his life and return what Rome stole from him: freedom. This is an attempt to flesh out Esca more and give us/me the context of conflict and friendship that occurs when he meets Marcus. Comments welcome.
1. Author's Note

_**Author's Note**__: As always the original story, characters and setting doesn't belong to me and I make no profit from this. If I did life would be much better. Please also keep in mind that A) I'm American and not very familiar with English geography or history and B) I've taken literary license with historical events and people to do what I want with them. So if something seems out of place or time it probably is. Sorry. _

_ Full disclosure. I love books more than I love movies and while I did like the original story I would have loved to read the novelization of the movie so I could understand more of the complexity of the new story line. I loved the movie and appreciated the divergence the director took from the book to make the story more mature. However the character of Marcus is more fleshed out in the movie than Esca, which is unfortunate because in many ways he had to grapple more with the question and consequences of loyalty, friendship and honor. Ideally, I would like to rewrite the entire movie to give both Marcus and Esca the freedom to express more behind their friendship and behaviors but for me I feel that in order to do that I must start at the beginning, which is Esca's enslavement _

_ In the movie Esca comments that his people rose against Rome 7 years ago. I'm putting his at 19 when he meets Marcus so I can put his age during the Brigantes-Rome war/battle between 12 and 15. In the book he was enslaved for only 2 years and was 17 at his enslavement. Historically, the Brigantes had a tradition of flouting of authority and so while there was one final battle I'm taking the literary liberty to do what I want and stretch the conflict out over 3 years resulting in Esca's enslavement when he is 15 and 4 years of enslavement. I'm not sure whether in the movie they meant he was enslaved for 7 years but I feel like 7 years of slavery may have wiped out the resistance in a lot of strong people so I'm writing as if he was enslaved for 4 years as a compromise. Also let's face it: war is harsh and I dislike watching and writing about violence against children and so 15-19 is age where I feel like I feel comfortable (as much as I can really) writing about the situations Esca would have encountered as a prisoner of war and salve. Plus it's an interesting age. Don't like it? Don't read it. Thanks so much!_


	2. Fathers, Family, and Fishing

_**Author's Note**__: As always the original story, characters and setting doesn't belong to me and I make no profit from this. If I did life would be much better. Please also keep in mind that A) I'm American and not very familiar with English geography or history and B) I've taken literary license with historical events and people to do what I want with them. So if something seems out of place or time it probably is. Sorry. _

_**Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! ~Lydia M. Child**_

An older man sat against a tree trunk, eyes closed, puffing on a small wooden pipe. A top his head was an unruly salt and pepper mop of hair that blended seamlessly into a full beard. The unusually bright sun warmed his cheeks and forehead and for a moment he congratulated himself on his excellent timing. The fastidious whims of winter were losing to the patience of spring.

With any luck, he thought, no one would freeze their limbs today catching trout and he would not be in any trouble with the wife. Recalling her expression, he chuckled. Hands on hips, head tilted, and her eyes fixated on his, seeking comprehension of her instructions. _Five fish, no swimming and carry weapons_. Yes Dear.

His back itched and he wiggled against the rough bark for relief. The Romans had retreated south during the winter seeking forgiveness from the elements and the comfort of more welcoming Britons. With respect to a few ambushes, there had been little action and the last scouting report suggested little would change for a few weeks.

"I bet I can catch more fish than you."

"I bet you drown before you do."

"I bet I drown the both of you before you either of you catch a fish."

The older man cracked a gray eye open. Three young men lined the log in front him that stretched over the river to the other bank. His sons. The last comment had come from his eldest, a man of twenty and one. He bore uncontrollable black locks and the early stages of a beard comparable to his father. The second oldest son, a gray-eyed youth with the hair of his older brother and a face that promised a beard given another few weeks sat over the deepest part of the river. The two brothers could have been twins with similar height and hair, if only the eldest possessed the gray eyes of his father instead of the mossy green of their mother. The boys resemblance was common talk in the village. The most prevalent myth had his ancestors fighting the ancestors of his wife for the rights to the firstborn. Her ancestors won, but had conceded the shape of both sons to their father in favor of retaining the sight of the oldest, Bevin, to watch over their kin from the afterlife.

It worked out well he reasoned. His wife's ancestors would not appreciate the antics of Anwyl. Favoring the temptation of fate like his father there was no tree Ani wouldn't climb, river he wouldn't swim or beast he wouldn't hunt. To the chagrin of his brother and amusement of his father he was almost as tall and as strong as his older brother despite the three-year difference.

Ani pulled his feet free of his boots and expertly tossed them clear of the water. He dipped his toe in and could not hide the grimace quickly enough. Bevin spied the moment of weakness.

"What, Ani, too cold for your sensibilities?" The eldest teased as he freed his feet as well and threw his boots to the shore. He bounced up and down shaking the trunk experimentally. Ani jerked, arms waving, and glared up through slitted eyes.

"When was the last time you went trout fishing Bevin?" Ani shot back grasping the tree trunk tightly. "Before you got married? Afraid the effects of the cold water could become permanent?"

Bevin's eyes narrowed and he lunged for his brother's shirt trying to pull him of the log. They grappled awkwardly neither willing to take responsibility for the act of pulling one into the cold depths below them. Spring or not the water of Briton has one temperature: cold.

"Stop shaking the log Bevin, my boots aren't off yet!" The voice was younger than the other two. The older man gazed at his youngest that sat closest to shore struggling with his boots. At fourteen, despite his elongating limbs that predisposed him to perpetual (and comical) clumsiness it was clear Esca would always be more slender than his older brothers, the very shadow of his mother which would never make him as strong as his father but made him quicker and stealthier than his brothers.

The wind caught his hair, wild as his brothers', with touches of red sunlight instead of streaks black night. As the spitting image of his mother his gray stormy eyes, which exactly matched his father's eyes, assured most skeptics of his parentage. Finally, his feet liberated the youngest tossed his boots beside the other shoes and submerged his big toe in the river. The father did not see a single flinch at the cold water and his lips turned upwards in pride.

"It's not so bad." Ani and Bevin stopped their squabbling long enough to glower at the youngest brother who sank between his bony shoulders sheepishly.

"Esca, then why don't you get in?" Ani snapped his attention turning back to the struggle with Bevin who was scooting toward the shoreline in effort to escape the deepest part of the river should Ani succeed in throwing him off.

Esca peered hesitantly downward trying to determine whether the search for trout holes should begin below or farther up river. The river was littered with nooks and crevices that trout liked to hide in but getting wet and cold needlessly had no appeal.

The older man sighed, rolled his eyes, and with one well aimed kick rolled the log forward. Caught completely unaware and unprepared all three young men rolled backwards and into the water completely submerging. Various curses and oaths reached his ears as they rose to the surface. He pulled his pipe out of his mouth as all three turned with murderous glares and smiled pleasantly.

"Trout holes are downstream my sons. We want for two for lunch so be quick about it." He leaned back his eyes not leaving the river.

Ani, Bevin and Esca shared unsure expressions trying to assess whether the inevitable thrashing would be worth the revenge. They studied him individually and then, teeth chattering, one by one turned and starting swimming away from their father. Puffing away he closed his eyes secure for the time being in his authority as father.

The afternoon sun was high and regardless of chill in the river, the three brothers slipped out of their tunics, hung their garments on some rocks and rolled up their trousers to their knees. Young muscles rippled under pale skin that was changing from white to pink. To an observer it was comical sight. All three were still, hands in the water, and silent gazing like a naked maiden lay beneath the surface.

Abruptly Bevin leaned forward and seized something below the surface. He whipped back up, a squirming trout in his hands.

Esca cast an appreciative glance at his brother's catch. He stood up and held out his hands expectantly. Grabbing the tail, Bevin quickly thumped the trout on a nearby rock, stunning it into stillness and threw it over. He caught it and waded to the shore where they had hung a well-oiled bag filled with river water and the four other fish they had caught.

Peering into the bag, he verified there was enough room and dropped the fish into the bag for preservation while they continued fishing. Their father who had eventually followed them downstream was busy maintaining a fire and coals for the meal. Esca informed him of the count.

"Next two are lunch boys." The father called out prodding the hot coals. Esca returned to the riverside rubbing his right arm unconsciously. A fresh bright blue tattoo encircled his bicep and the ache of application had net yet faded. The strenuous fish wrestling had only served to aggravate the tender skin and muscle.

Bevin and Ani promised the ache would cease in a few days and since their father had joined them he had been trying not to express the pain he felt. As he waded back into the water his father's voice reached him.

"Dunk your arm underwater, it will make the pain lessen." The words were meant for only Esca's ears, which he appreciated greatly. Bevin and Ani, their arms blanketed with warrior tattoos knew too well of the pain that accompanied tattoos but he didn't want to appear weak as to need his father's attention.

The celebrated procedure required 3-4 hours of stillness while a village elder carved the design into flesh and applied the ink. The first tattoo earned by a young man (and sometimes woman) was always observed by the entire community in witness to the warrior's accomplishment, notably the taking of an enemy's life.

Esca had taken his first life two weeks ago while out shepherding the herds with Ani. Four Rogue warriors had attempted to seize the herd believing the two young men incapable of defending themselves. Correctly perceiving a greater threat in Ani three had thrown themselves at the elder brother while one challenged Esca. While he lacked the grace that comes with fully-grown limbs Esca made up for in experience. He had been wrestling and fighting with knives and axes as soon as his brothers could place them in his hands.

The moment that the Rogue warrior chose to bait his prey with insults had cost him his life. Taking advantage of the Rogue's confidence Esca had slashed the warrior deeply across the chest with his dagger while swinging his axe down into the tissue between the neck and shoulder. The final strike fell through the eye socket.

Ani, a seasoned warrior displayed no weakness as three warriors attacked him but when Esca's axe embedded itself into one of the warriors' skull he had tossed his brother a grateful glance before dispatching the last two warriors. In custom with their ways, Ani had shown Esca how to cleanly remove the head to capture the power of the dead and present the proof of his deed to his tribe.

He would never forget the pride in his father's eyes as he and Ani returned with the herds, heads in hand. The battle cry issued from his father's lips had roused the entire village to their door. The elders inspected the heads, observing the cleanliness of the cut and age of the faces, while Ani recounted the story, emphasizing that Esca had come to his aid, giving Death not one but two lives in return for Ani's life.

When he came to that part, the women had risen from their seats and to his embarrassment kissed him on the forehead. Later Ani and Bevin explained that while men could judge the quality of death and strength of an enemy it was a woman's charge to assess a warrior's quality of character in battle which was best measured on whether they rendered aid to a fellow tribesmen.

_A man can gather the strongest and bravest warriors to his command but his woman knows who will stay by his side_, Bevin clarified. It is why the chief's wife is as important as the chief himself. He may be the face and will of the tribe but she is the heart and mind of the tribe. One cannot exist without the other.

Esca leaned over the trout hole he'd been watching bending low so his arm was submerged to his shoulder. Instantly he felt relief and was grateful that conflict of the last 3 years had at least given them these few weeks of respite. I can't remember when the last the three us went fishing he thought truthfully. Outside of seeing his father and Ani sporadically at home or giving scout reports to Bevin, there hadn't been much time to spare for family gatherings.

At first the rarity of his brothers had been hard-he'd been all of 12 when the conflict started. His immaturity kept him close to home and to the herds while his father led ambushes against the Romans. When his father made him a scout he mistakenly thought it would mean more time to see his brothers. The lighthearted conversations of boyhood were gone, replaced by discussions of strategy and Roman sightings. Just one more thing for the Romans to steal Esca thought angrily.

Ani yelped and jumped up falling backwards into the water while a trout danced between his hands. Stretching out his arms Esca leapt for the fish. His hands clasped around the fish as he belly flopped into the river. Immediately he inhaled a mouthful of river water. He tightened his grip and rose, gasping to his knees, pulling the fish free of the water. Water dripped in his eyes and he coughed.

"Nice catch!" Ani laughed still seated in the water. Esca spat the remaining river water out and raised an eyebrow.

"Nice toss." He retorted struggling to his feet and heading to shore.

A moment later, Bevin grunted and gracefully pulled the final fish out of its hole. He waded after Ani and Esca to shore where he deposited the fish in Ani's lab and promptly sat down ignoring Ani's glare.

Esca and Ani set about removing the scales while Bevin stripped a branch for roasting. They were easy and satisfying tasks completed in silence. Their father interrupted the quiet of work.

"Are your tongues frozen boys?" He questioned, silver eyes twinkling.

"Is yours restless from lack of work?" Ani responded sarcastically. In the privacy of a family circle they did not observe the formalities required in public in addressing the chief.

Esca snorted and elbowed his brother firmly in the ribs. Ani returned the favor with a sharp elbow and soon the two were engaged in a battle of elbows. Esca's knife slipped slicing his thumb, a bloom of redness against his skin.

"Your mother will have my hide if any of you come back with damage." Their father warned shaking his pipe at the trio. "It is in all our best interests if she is happy tonight."

That sobered the brothers quickly. Esca stuck his thumb in his mouth cleaning the wound. Three years ago their mother's hair had been red as sunrise. The streaks of gray that ran through her hair now could be linked to various events. The time father had been trapped in a gully for three days after a bad skirmish. The time Bevin came home with an arrow through his calf. The first time Ani went out on his first ambush and got separated from the group. The newest gray hairs were the result of Esca's clash with the Rogues and new warrior status. Her last son joining his brothers and father in the war.

Their father noticed their silence and immediately regretted his words, which brought seriousness to their fun. There were so few times for play and the rough housing of young men. The reminder of the responsibility and the worry of loved ones could wring water from stone he thought. The last time they had laughed together had been the winter solstice and only because the Romans fled the bite of winter like a beaten dog.

"Do you think the Romans will return soon?" Efficiently Bevin speared a fish on to the stick and hoisted it on to the poles near the coals. Steam rose from the fish as it roasted.

Their father puffed his pipe then nodded. "Word from the south has the Romans mobilizing and collecting resources now. I suspect they could be here within the fortnight. Maybe sooner"

"As many Romans as before winter?" Esca asked worriedly. The constant stream of Romans had been tiring. Where one Roman would fall, two would rose up, a veritable hydra of people. The daily occurrences of skirmished sapped the strength of their tribesmen until winter drove the Romans south giving them some blessed relief.

"No. An initial delegation is coming to see if we can renegotiate the terms." He spat out 'negotiate' like it was spoiled meat. They all knew what Rome meant by negotiation-the same terms as before with greater threats of destruction. As if the darker threats could obscure the same terrible deal. Double taxes and a treaty of aid should Rome need help putting other rebellions down. They all knew what that meant: a promise to slaughter their kin at the whim of Rome. It was not negotiable.

"Tell us of the Great Battle." Ani said suddenly. Esca perked up and even Bevin looked toward their father hopefully. It was a story told at almost every tribal gathering and it never failed to raise spirits. The greatest defeat that Rome has ever known on British lands. Their father removed the pipe from his mouth and tapped out the used leaves. His fingers searched out his pouch. It was quiet while he pinched some leaves into pipe and seized a fiery stick to light it. Quietly he puffed till smoke emerged from the end.

"13 years ago Rome came farther north than she ever had." He began. "For the first time in many years they passed through the territory of the Brigantes and went north of the wall. They brought terms that were unimaginable, declaring our former treaties and agreements void and demanded we accept the new terms or face the wrath of Rome. They brought these terms to the Caledonians and the Selgovae beyond the wall as well.

" We had done nothing to bring about this change. Every previous agreement had been honored. It was terrible. For the first time in living memory we met with the Caledonians and Selgovae. Past differences were ignored as we considered that refusing the terms could ensure the destruction of our tribes. The Brigantes had no love for Selgovae and the Caledonians despised anything south of the Wall. Our one common enemy though was Rome and it was agreed that Rome had overstepped her power in Briton.

"The tribes entered into an agreement, which the chieftains swore, on the lives of our firstborn, to honor. The Selgovae and Caledonians would refuse any treaty while the Brigantes would refuse to meet terms that didn't apply to the Selgovae and Caledonians. It was the strategy of petulant child really but one we knew the Rome would understand. It was strategy that would prevent immediate action against the Brigantes because we had not outright refused the terms, but ensure the attention of Rome."

Their father pointed at Esca. "You were not even a quiver in your mother's stomach when all this happened. Ani was in swaddling clothes and Bevin had just mastered the art of walking in a straight line."

"The refusal enraged the Romans. Denied their precious taxes and insulted by the audacity of the northern tribes they mustered a legion of 5000 men, called the Ninth. They bypassed the Brigantes believing that a victory over the tribes north of the wall would persuade us to meet the terms. However while they were marching north, the Selgovae and Caledonians were already lying in wait, prepared for a battle the Romans did not expect in the first place.

"We followed the Romans. For all their might, the Romans had no idea they were followed by 500 spears." Their father chuckled.

"We got close enough that we could warm our hands by their fires and amuse ourselves with their stories. One man, Manus, would sit down with drunken Romans and practice his Latin. " Esca and his brothers snickered easily seeing their kinsmen in the shadows daring each other to get closer to the Romans.

"The Romans, north of the wall, without the hospitality of the southern tribes were like babes in the woods. The highlands confused them, the cold froze them, and the darkness terrified them. After a while we just picked some trees and rested while they marched in circles around us. Finally the northern tribes got impatient and lured them north into the mists where the rest of the warriors were waiting for them.

"The Romans thought they would find the tribes in the open." Their father snorted and rolled his eyes. He waved his pipe around. "Why would we fight like the Romans? The open spaces are far and few between. No sane warrior would fight like that in the highlands. After a few weeks of waiting we finally engaged them under a dark moon."

"They were broken men by then. We could hear their soldiers bickering at night and the worried conversations of their commanders. They were so busy trying to be Romans in Britannia they did not realize Britons were all around them.

"The tribesmen started picking them off on that day. One by one, tribesmen at the back of the legion stole Romans like ghosts. One moment a Roman would be standing the next he was gone and never seen ever again. Their commanders kept driving them north and we kept whittling their numbers down till they were forced to turn and face us."

Before continuing their father paused and stared into the fire. The brothers glanced at each other. Usually what followed were loud exclamations of death defying deeds and Romans screaming in terror. However what followed was different from the fireside stories of celebration.

"The bloodshed that day…" He started. He stopped, took a breath and continued.

"In all my life I'd never seen so much death. The mud was red and the blue of our shields turned purple. Some of the Romans deserted almost immediately only to run into our spears. 5000 Romans. So many men to kill." Their father said softly.

"Soon enough, the Roman battle cry turned into screams of fear. They thought we were demons and they called their Gods down on us in vain. Whenever we doubted what we were doing we remembered the promise of destruction that waited for us if we did not make an example of this legion. If we failed they would come back and burns our fields and homes and take our children as slaves. We had been honorable in our dealings and the Romans had treated us like dogs. Now the hounds of Briton would chase them into the arms of Death.

"That day I killed more men than my father and grandfather had in their entire lives. It was an unpleasant task." He said absently eyes traveling toward his sons.

"Some of the Romans were young men, barely out of boyhood." He pointed toward Esca as an example. "Other warriors were a glorious challenge worthy to meet the spearmen of Brigantes. One Roman held a golden eagle and he slew every man who approached him, refusing to surrender even as his own men fell or ran. Regardless of bravery we killed them all."

"One of the northern tribes, was particularly vicious. For this battle we did not take the heads since we could not cross the wall with evidence of what we had done but this tribe, the painted people, would cut the feet off soldiers so they could not walk into the afterlife and pull the beating hearts from the officers to honor their Gods. At the time I did not care much, we only wanted them dead but in all my years I could not recall ever seeing such savage practices.

"When it was all over the forest was so silent, heavy with the souls of the dead. We left the bodies there, a vast grave of Romans. No Roman would ever come that far north and this comforted us. This legion would disappear into history and serve as a ghost to haunt Romans, a horrifying mystery to all Rome. A place of triumph for all of Britannia.

"We collected our dead, bid farewell to the northern tribes and quietly returned to our lands south of the wall. We passed without suspicion through the wall and when Rome came looking for their legion we would point north." He mimicked pointing north with his pipe. "The Romans confirmed with the wall that the legion had gone north and had not returned. When the legion finally was declared lost the Romans dropped their new agreements and fled to the comforting south to lick their wounds. When they came back their demands were the same as they had been before the legion and business went on as per normal. Until three years ago at least."

"Their memories are not very long are they?" Bevin commented turning the fish. His green eyes were dark. Before winter, the Romans had claimed the life of one his closest friends in a particularly malicious attack on some herdsmen. Not even warriors thought Esca in disgust. Their father nodded in agreement and then tilted his head.

"Indeed, their memory is short. However they also changed their tactics. They don't deal with the northern tribes beyond the wall. This time they are squeezing us, the Brigantes alone."

"Why don't we go north?" Esca asked naively. "Surely the Caledonians will come to our aid?" Their father shook his head.

"The Caledonians strength lies in their knowledge of the land. Also where would they go? They are hard to miss and almost impossible to get over the wall. We have not spoken in many years and I'm not sure I would wish their presence and practices in our territories."

"What if all the Brigantes went north?" Esca persisted as if no one had considered the thought. "Would Rome follow us there?"

Their father pulled the pipe out of his mouth so quickly he almost threw it across the fire. His grey eyes were lighted like storm clouds that pushed Esca backwards.

"Leave the lands of our fathers? The land that is our by birthright?" He hissed. "Never. If we did no tribe would ever respect the Brigantes again. Our strength too lies in our lands." His voice echoed in the woods. Esca shrank ashamed of his question.

"What if someday they send a legion like the ninth to us?" Ani voiced reasonably his gray eyes inquisitive. Their father did not respond immediately. He stared into the fire for a few moments.

"We have never had word of such a legion." Their father finally responded. "I am doubtful that they would send such a large number north again even if it is south of the wall. The loss of 5000 men without a word still stings. Though as I hear it the loss of their eagle hurts the most."

"A metal eagle? How could that mean so much to them?" Esca exclaimed slamming his hand on to the ground. It seemed impossible to care for something dead when so many lives were lost. Their father shrugged and puffed on his pipe.

"They are Roman who knows what goes through their minds." He held his hands and motioned around them. "They hate this land. They hate the weather, the food, the women, and most of all the warriors. To a Roman, there only redeeming characteristic of Britannia and that is it can be called a Roman territory."

The four were quiet as Bevin pulled the fish off the stakes and laid it on some clean leaves for their consumption.

"I hate the Romans." Esca declared loudly to no one in particular. Bevin, Ani and their father chuckled. Ani clapped Esca on the back.

"Don't worry Esca, soon you will kill a few Romans and feel much better." He said absently as he picked some meat from the fish.

The talk turned to pleasanter topics like planting season, women (girls in Esca's case), and tribal gossip as they feasted on cooked fish. They hardly noticed the sunburn or that eventually their father retreated from conversation, puffing his pipe and watching his boys converse and tease each other. His sons were men but for now he drank in the sight of their smiles and sounds of their laughter knowing there would be little of it in the coming days.

_What's coming next? The Roman delegation arrives and they got some not so nice words for the Chief. Who's got a lady friend? What will happen to Brigantes?_

_I would love comments and reviews. This is the most I've written in a long time and I know that there are bound to be grammar and spelling errors. Don't be mean though. No one likes a troll. _


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